Description
The crowned eagle is a strong predatory bird. Its length ranges from 80 to 99 centimeters, making it the sixth-longest eagle in the world. Weighting between 3.2 and 4.7 kg, the female is 10–15% heavier than the male (weighing 2.55-4.12 kg). Overall, they are the ninth-heaviest species of eagle still living. The typical wingspan ranges from 1.51 to 1.81 meters.
The mature plumage of the crowned eagle is very stunning. With a prominent, occasionally rising double crest and black tips on its darkish to rufous-brown crown, this bird’s head has a triangular shape. Adults have upperparts that are grayish-blackish with variable blue hues. The breast and abdomen are white, with sparsely spaced blackish bars and dots that occasionally have cream highlights. Brown covers the neck. The white primaries of the wings have a prominent black tip, two black bars, and a white base. The tail has stripes that are a dark brownish grey tint. The thighs and legs have bars and are extensively black and white specked.
Native Region/Habitat
All of Sub-Saharan Africa, including Ethiopia, Kenya, Botswana, Angola, and South Africa, is home to the Crowned Hawk-eagle. The Crowned Hawk-eagle inhabits a broad range of habitats, including thornveld, a grassland dotted with thorny plants and acacia trees, riverine forests, farmlands, exotic tree plantations, montane forests, and other altered habitats. The crowned eagle inhabits areas between sea level and elevations of at least 3,000 meters. The eagle’s range might occasionally be somewhat discontinuous because there isn’t any suitable habitat available at the moment.
Behavior
The crowned eagle is a non-migratory bird that, like the majority of raptors in Africa, spends the most of its life stationary. The majority of the food of the crowned eagle consists of mammalian species. There are a few verified accounts that the crowned eagle can lift more than its own weight while in flight, but they are infrequent. One of the most powerful eagles in Africa, the crowned eagle can snag prey weighing up to 20 kilos. The eagle uses its long hind talon to shatter the prey’s spine. Waiting in a bush and keeping an eye on a waterhole or field before dropping down on the prey is a common hunting method. When hunting for monkeys, a crowned eagle soars above the forest canopy until it hears a troop of monkeys. In an effort to get as close to the monkeys as possible without being seen before hitting, the eagle soars in and perches on a limb.
The male crowned eagle exhibits elegant flight during courtship to woo the female. He performs a series of swooping dives and ascents that mimic roller coasters as he soars to high heights in the air. At the peak of each circle, he tosses his head back and screams loudly for up to thirty seconds, flapping his wings repeatedly.
As a pet/In captivity
The crowned eagle is said to have a ferocious temper, despite the fact that it can be trained while it is young. As a result, it doesn’t seem like crowned eagles are a wise choice for families searching for pets. If the owner is an expert handler, the crowned eagle may be kept as a pet for hunting, but it is not recommended. It has been alleged that they murder a lot of animals, including cats and pups.
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